âIn third place of this yearâs gift segment - the Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting.â All was calm before Dan Fei opened her mouth -- everyone present was flabbergasted after sheâd spoken.
The Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting?
Everyone was stunned. The Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting was third? Wasnât there something wrong here? Had Dan Fei gotten the order wrong?
Even first prince Ye Dai, for all his shrewdness and the effort he spent to display the gracious demeanor of someone who left matters of gain and loss up to fate, his face stiffened and lost all color when he heard these words.
âHow is that possible?!â Lu Wuji couldnât help but yelp. âThe Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting is only third? Sister Dan Fei, have you read out the placings in the wrong order?â
Lu Wuji thought the same as everyone else, that sister Dan Fei must surely have read the order out incorrectly. No matter how they looked at it, the Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting easily surpassed all the other gifts.
It ranked only third? That meant there were two others in front of him!
Even Ye Daiâs first thought was that something was wrong with these results, not to mention Lu Wujiâs complete inability to accept them.
The others also wore a look of unimaginable queerness. Although they had continued to participate in the competition, but they had long since resigned themselves to fate. They felt that since the Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting was surely first, they could only be able to vie for second and third.
Therefore, when they heard that the Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting was third, these people were shocked but also delighted in the misfortunes of others. At the same time, some ambitious thoughts arose in their hearts.
âThe Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting is third? Doesnât this mean I have a chance to fight for first? Perhaps the lordmaster hasnât seen my gift before and particularly admired it?â
Many people had these notions in their minds.
âSister Dan Fei, are you sure you arenât mistaken? I canât think it through. Everyone has seen these gifts, and what could better than the Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting?â Ye Zheng also stepped out to protest against the injustice on Ye Daiâs behalf.
Dan Fei said faintly, âYe Zheng, are you doubting the lordmasterâs eye?â
Ye Zheng suddenly felt flustered and hastily waved his hands, âI didnât mean that at all. I was just wondering if you mixed up the order when you wrote down the rankings.â
Dan Fei flicked a glance at him, but her gaze was a bit remote.
This rather meaningful glance caused Ye Zheng to shrink into himself and shut his eyes quite appropriately.
Ye Daiâs mouth was full of bitterness. He saw all of sister Dan Feiâs reaction. This obviously wasnât a mix up, but an indication that he really had ranked at number three.
And, by how sister Dan Fei was acting, it was apparent that she wasnât even going to give him an explanation!
Ye Dai was dejected to the point of going crazy. He truly didnât understand why this was happening!
Except, he also clearly understood that if he made a scene now, his image in Tutor Yeâs heart would likely take a huge hit.
He smiled wryly and retreated, bowing slightly, âYe Dai thanks the honored tutor for his favor.â
Dan Fei nodded slightly and pitied him somewhat when she saw that he did not lose his composure. She wanted to explain as well, but how could she explain?
Tell him that this was a forgery? That would be an even greater blow than not explaining at all. A vaunted first prince gifting a forgery to the honored tutor, wouldnât that be a great humiliation?
Therefore, the best decision was to not explain.
From Dan Feiâs eyes, Ye Dai seemed to see several hints that she couldnât bear the situation, and so he felt a bit better. It was a good thing that sister Dan Fei was still nostalgic and valued old relationships.
Dan Fei composed herself and her bell-like voice sounded again, âIn second place, the Swordteeth Flying Fox cub.â
Ye Rong was both startled and overjoyed when he heard this. He was happy that his ranking had been greater than first prince Ye Daiâs.
He was startled in that, he wasnât first either?
But at this moment, it didnât matter whether he was first or not. In either case, heâd suppressed first prince Ye Dai and thus heâd succeeded this time.
As he recalled the humiliation heâd suffered from the first prince just now, Ye Rong felt a surge of anger. He smiled faintly and completely ignored Ye Daiâs hostile gaze, bowing to Dan Fei. âYe Rong feels deeply honored to receive the revered tutorâs favor, and many thanks to sister Dan Fei.â
Lu Wuji still didnât want to accept things. âThe Swordteeth Flying Fox is but a toy. To think that its ranking is higher than the Yellow Dragon Watching the Seas Painting, whatâs with this ranking? Ai, I donât understand it.â
Although he was murmuring under his breath, everyone present could hear him.
Dan Feiâs gaze was cold as it shot towards Lu Wuji. âAnd what the heck are you? Who are you to question something that the lordmaster has decided? Get out if you speak another word!â
Dan Fei had followed Tutor Ye since she was young. Even though she held no power and influence in her hands, no one within the entire Skylaurel Kingdom would dare treat this woman lightly.
This was because they all knew that this woman represented Tutor Ye!
Lu Wuji was a premier noble in the Skylaurel Kingdom, but he had absolutely no qualification whatsoever to behave atrociously at this sort of occasion.
To take a step back, even first prince Ye Dai was vastly unqualified to do so!
âWuji, do not act wildly.â Although first prince Ye Dai rather admired Lu Wujiâs daring and brash style, the necessary pleasantries still had to be observed at an occasion like this.
Lu Wuji backed down with some embarrassment and a darkened face.
He couldnât accept things at all, and felt that the first prince had been treated unfairly.
When Dan Fei was in a rage, she had her own allure, making the hearts of the young men present pound fiercely, as if a monkey was scratching at them.
âAlright. I now announce the gift that ranked first amongst this yearâs gift segment -- the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine.â
Dan Fei also knew that if she just said the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine, these people probably wouldnât even know which one it was. So she picked up that unassuming wine jug and held it in her hand, shaking it slightly to indicate the winner.
Dan Fei also felt this scene was a bit comical. After all, when this wine jug had been offered, it had elicited a round of laughter at the scene and everyone had treated it as a colossal joke.
And now, the item that had been like the ugly duckling had turned into a most stunning swan with a shake of its body, and become the jewel on a crown!
When her thoughts traveled here, even Dan Fei couldnât help but cast a look of interest behind Ye Rong.
She was quite curious too, just where had Ye Rong found such an odd young man? And how had this young man taken out something that caused even the usually calm honored tutor to be a bit moved?
The Nine Magnificence Dew Wine? Dan Fei had no recollection of the existence of such a wine in her memories. She also knew that the old tutor would sometimes partake in some wine when he was bored and had nothing else to do.
However, the old tutor had never mentioned the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine.
Even Dan Fei, someone whoâd been mentally prepared, felt that this was a bit surprising. Then, it went without saying that the reactions of those beneath the stage were in even more of an uproar.
Ye Dai hadnât even known who had offered the gift when he first heard the words Nine Magnificence Dew Wine. But who wouldnât recognize the wine jug in Dan Feiâs hands?
The gift that had just been an embarrassment and source of much mockery was now ranked first?
Was this a dream?
Ye Dai almost suspected that something was wrong with his eyes. He blinked, took a closer look, and discovered that there really was nothing wrong with his eyes.
It was indeed the shabby wine jug that Jiang Chen had carelessly taken out and offered just now.
People might have made a mistake if it had been anything else. But this wine jug, with its ridiculous appearance and unique design, was absolutely one of a kind.
No one would be able to imitate it even if they wanted to.
Lu Wujiâs eyes were as wide as saucers at the moment. He had an expression of someone seeing a ghost. At this moment, he was the biggest disbeliever of all.
A shabby wine jug had won first place. If he hadnât been hectored by Dan Fei earlier, he almost wanted to hop out to question this decision and rain down a torrent of abuse.
But, reason told him that if he stepped out now, Dan Fei wouldnât mind in the slightest if she threw him out. That would be the greatest loss of face.
Lu Wujiâs face was beet red as it flamed. Heâd completely lost face. He really wanted to find a hole to crawl into. When this jug had been offered earlier, heâd been the one who jeered the hardest, and mocked that the sender was an uncommon, unique fool.
The truth had proven that he was the fool instead.
Ye Dai was also quite infuriated. He had never thought that the winning gift would be the wine jug.
He had been shamelessly boastful just now in requesting Dan Fei to remove this jug of wine, in case it left a bad impression and adversely impacted everyoneâs mood.
This was practically the biggest joke. At this moment, he, Ye Dai, had thoroughly and utterly become a background, the background that proved to be the foil for this first place gift.
âHeh heh, big brother, to think that your eye for assessment would be wrong this time.â The person speaking wasnât Ye Rong, but second prince Ye Qiao.
Ye Qiao was extremely hostile towards Ye Dai. When he wanted to offer his gift just now, heâd been rather embarrassed when the first prince had purposefully cut him off.
Now that he saw this opportunity, how could Ye Qiao let it go?
âNumber four, I hadnât thought that your schemes would be hidden so deeply. The saying goes well and speaks straight to your second brotherâs heart. The outside is good jade, but the inside is rotten materials. Indeed, those that look nice and fancy arenât necessarily good. On the contrary, those that donât look like much may be the good items. Iâve learned much, truly learned much. Iâve really gained much knowledge this time. Number three, what would you say?â
Second prince Ye Qiao was undeniably a smooth talker. Heâd embroiled his three main opponents with a small snippet of speech. Heâd made a dig at the first prince and slapped his face, picking at Ye Daiâs scabs. On the other hand, heâd purposefully complimented Ye Rong to enflame the first princeâs hatred towards Ye Rong.
Heâd also laughed at third prince Ye Zheng for good measure.
After all, when Jiang Chen had offered this jug of wine just now, third prince Ye Zheng was the one whoâs raised the greatest fuss, voicing idiotic words like how the jug insulting the eyes and ears of others.
And now, itâd become the honored tutorâs hand-picked gift of first place. Wasnât this the greatest slap in the face for Ye Zheng?
Ye Zhengâs face was full of dejection as he was speechless. He could only mutter, âAnd what are you so proud about? Itâs not a gift that you offered.â
Ye Qiao laughed heartily, âNumber three, everyone can admire a nice item together, why allocate responsibilities so clearly? You, ah, you, youâre just so impulsive and unreasonably offended by the smallest things.â
Fourth prince Ye Rong had finally recovered by now. To be honest, heâd been slightly disappointed when he learned that he was only in second place.
But when he heard that Jiang Chen was first, his entire being felt as though he was spontaneously flying into the sky. The great ascents and falls of his life had simply come too quickly.
Heâd been the same as everyone else, and wouldâve never thought that that uninteresting wine jug would become the gift that won first place.
His words in rebutting the first prince that the outside being good jade, but the inside being rotten materials had actually been to hint obliquely at the first prince himself, but who wouldâve thought it wouldâve turned out to be a prophecy that came true.
There truly was no way for the jugâs exterior appearance to be uglier, but who wouldâve thought that what was contained inside would be such precious nectar that the honored tutor would hail as first place?
Feeling the gazes from all sides center in on him, Ye Rong had the feeling of exaltation upon fulfillment. Heâd been suppressed by the first prince for so many years but had finally seen the day in which he experienced the sweet thrill of being the main character.
Despite the fact that itâd been Jiang Chen whoâd brought this emotion for him, Ye Rong did not mind in the slightest. This was because at the moment, Jiang Chen was keeping quite a low profile in standing behind him and had absolutely no intention of stealing his thunder.
In this moment, Ye Rong felt very gratified and proud of himself. To think that he would unwittingly receive such rich rewards after traveling such a distance to the Eastern Kingdom, going out of his way to enlist the services of a talented and learned man, and recruiting Jiang Chen!